Soldier Mine (Sons of War #2)(39)

God, how I want to say yes. The good thing is that it’d be like the Thanksgiving feast: crowded, little time to slip further from my resolve not to fall for Petr. Their mansion is huge enough that I’d be surprised if the entire town wasn’t there.

I can tell it means more to him than he’s letting on, too. The casual question and smile are hiding depth of emotion I’ve been corralling as well.

Todd will throw a fit if we don’t go. There’s another reason I need to go to his party, one I hadn’t thought of before. I have to turn over the graphic I’ve been designing to Anton.

And … well I owe him for all he’s doing for Todd. I don’t need to stay long, though I feel obligated to show up.

“We’ll come,” I decide. “Wednesday or Thursday?”

“Come Wednesday and stay as long as you like. We open up the guest wings and cottages for a few days so friends and family can stay. Or you can crash on my floor. Plenty of room for you to stay the night.”

I knock his coffee cup over in a clumsy attempt to refill it.

Dammit, Claudia! My face is hot. I try not to read anything into the fact he’s asking me to spend the night. After all, he’s inviting half the town to do the same.

Petr’s striking eyes are twinkling mischievously. He knows I’m not clumsy, though thankfully, he doesn’t call me on it.

“Sorry.” I wipe up the mess hastily.

Without looking at him directly again, I move away. My insides are on fire, the memory of our kiss rendering me too flustered to realize I’m heading the wrong direction until I reach the edge of the dining room and have to turn around to return to the kitchen.

Passing him again, I don’t give Petr the satisfaction of giving him a firmer response about our plans. He’s smiling, so I don’t think he really cares, as long as we’re showing up at some point.

He leaves shortly after, and I start to process the world around me once more.

I’m itching to call Simon again. Whereas I used to contact him once every two to four weeks, I’ve been calling him nearly three times a week since Thanksgiving. I tell him it’s because I miss my mom around the holidays. The truth is that I’m hurting for good news. Todd is growing attached to Petr to the point I hear him talk about little else. While happy for my brother, I’m also concerned about what another sudden move will do to him, especially with how much he worships Petr.

I, too, am not certain how much longer I can remain here without finally accepting Petr’s offer of dinner. Every part of me wants to say yes, and it’s fear that holds me back.

I wait to fan myself until I’m in the staff area of the kitchen and then lean back against the employees’ lockers. The back door is open to relieve some of the heat that builds up in the kitchen. The frosty December weather cools my skin without relieving the fever in my blood.

Petr blows my mind so easily. I’m not sure what would happen if we spent more than five minutes together, but I think we’d fall so deeply into each other, neither of us would ever recover.

The prospect terrifies me, because I want it so badly. I want to fall, as he says, but can’t afford to let go.

I take a break, call Todd to check in and then return to work. Instead of cheering me up, the plethora of ornaments, lights and bright holiday decorations further sink my mood.





Chapter Sixteen: Claudia


The next day, the diner is packed in the morning. Most of the town is off work, and it takes all three of us waitresses on shift to keep up with the flood of people. The rush eases off around midmorning without dropping off completely as usual.

It’s odd, but I miss Petr this morning. I didn’t think one day would make a difference. Whenever he’s here, however briefly we talk, he becomes my moment of peace, helps me remember to breathe. It doesn’t hurt that he’s sexy and sweet with a smile that sends my blood racing. Talking to him recharges me, and this morning, without him, I’m feeling totally drained again.

I don’t have time to dwell on much of anything. The lunch crowd picks up, followed by another short lull, a dinner rush, and then I’m done for the day.

The snow is starting again. I had no idea Massachusetts was so snowy and cold. I bundle up to trudge home for work, pleased to smell hamburgers when I reach my apartment door. Shivering, I enter and knock the rest of the snow off my shoes onto the floor mat.

“Hey, kid, I’m home!” I call and unwrap myself from scarf, coat, gloves and earmuffs.

“Hey.” He’s in the living room.

I instinctively check the hamburgers then turn down the heat before pulling off my boots to cross the carpeted area of the living room.

“Petr says we’re going to his party tomorrow?” Todd asks hopefully.

“Yeah. We’ll drop by.” Which reminds me: I need taxi money. I check my tip jar quickly to ensure we have enough to get there and back.

“Are we staying all weekend?”

“Probably not.”

“But we’ll go and stay for a while, right?”

“Yes, Todd,” I say with a laugh. Going to my room, I close the door and change quickly then take a moment to assess the collage. It’s almost done. The diner is closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas, so I’ll have time to work on it tomorrow before we head to Petr’s in the afternoon.